If 2020 was the year for live streaming, with the feature seeing a 70% increase in use in the US on Instagram during the start of lockdowns, 2021 is set to be the year for shoppable livestreaming. Already immensely successful in China (where it reached $61 billion in sales in 2019) through platforms like Taobao,...
If 2020 was the year for live streaming, with the feature seeing a 70% increase in use in the US on Instagram during the start of lockdowns, 2021 is set to be the year for shoppable livestreaming. Already immensely successful in China (where it reached $61 billion in sales in 2019) through platforms like Taobao, Instagram’s newest feature is creating a two-way dialogue between brands and customers online. Something Dermalogica has jumped on early.
Dermalogica has been hosting livestreams through last year, using platforms including Vimeo and Bambuser, as well as shoppable Instagram livestreams. On December 30, the brand hosted a Vimeo livestream with influencer Jackie Aina, featuring links to purchase products including the early release of the brand’s new neck serum.
Shoppable Live Streams on Instagram and TikTok
Shoppable livestreaming is just one of many in a rollout of Instagram and TikTok’s new shopping features, securing both app’s direction into e-commerce. For instagram, the experience works similar to a regular live, connecting the featured products from the account’s product catalog to the bottom of the live broadcast. Currently, the feature is only available to U.S.-based brands or accounts with access to Instagram Checkout. After setting up your Instagram shop, you simply press “shopping” after toggling to “Live” and choose the products you’d like to feature before going live
The Industry Shift Towards Interactive Online Retail
While the feature on Instagram is still in beta mode, allowing only one item to be featured at a time, it further cements the future of shopping to be interactive online experiences. Research company eMarketer predicts that e-commerce sales will reach 14.4% of all U.S. retail spending this year and 19.2% by 2024, making creating engaging e-commerce experiences more critical than ever.
The pandemic is also only speeding up the shift towards augmented reality and virtual reality, meaning shoppable livestreaming is expected to grow even more dramatically with better technology and increased demand. In fact, e-commerce giant Amazon already offers the service and Walmart is currently testing video shopping on TikTok.
In an era where TikTok “skinfluencers” have the power to sell products out from shelves, shoppable livestreaming will only make this experience more streamlined and personalized. As shopping during a livestream becomes more popularized, brands will need to utilize influencers to create an authentic shopping experience. Much like television personalities during the era where informercials ruled all, influencers will continue to play an important role in bridging the gap between the brand and the new customer.
What This Means for the Beauty Industry
There’s no denying the pivotal role that social media has played in shaping the beauty industry since its inception. In an era where TikTok “skinfluencers” have the power to sell products out from shelves, shoppable livestreaming will only make this experience more streamlined and personalized. As shopping during a livestream becomes more popularized, brands will need to utilize influencers to create an authentic shopping experience. Much like television personalities during the era where informercials ruled all, influencers will continue to play an important role in bridging the gap between the brand and the new customer.
With new features continuing to roll out across our favorite platforms, it can feel difficult to keep up. However, finding the right influencers to create genuine content will continue to position your brand as a frontrunner. Whether it’s on Instagram Live or across TikTok, Octoly can help you navigate the best way to position yourself in the ever-changing world of social media marketing and e-commerce.
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